A day at the races is most often accompanied by a drink or two, or three...or more (we won't judge!) Luckily, your beverage can beat the Kentucky heat with a can koozie. No need to use a plain ol' koozie when it only takes a few minutes to customize one. Keep reading to learn how!
Custom Koozie Supplies
- Foam Can Koozie
- EasyWeed® Heat Transfer Vinyl
- Craft Cutter (like a Juliet® or Romeo®)
- Siser® EasyWeeder®
- Scissors
- Heat Press or Home Iron
- Heat Transfer Cover Sheet or Parchment Paper
How to Design a Can Koozie Cut File
I whipped up this fun saying in Leonardo® Design Studio using the fonts (from top to bottom) Perpetua Titling, Spumante Bold, Rockwell Extra Bold, and NewsGothic. After typing each line using the Text Tool, I selected them all and centered them by pressing the C key on my keyboard.
When you're satisfied with your design, make sure it will fit on your koozie by adjusting the size. I found a good standard size is typically 3". Next, send the HTV through the cutter. If this is your first time working with a Siser cutter, make sure you watch our video: Making Your First Cut with Juliet.
Note: While we used a Siser cutter and Leonardo Design Studio, this process can also be easily done with other craft cutters and design software.
When the cutter is finished, trim the design and weed out all the HTV that you won't be applying.
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How to Heat Press A Polyurethane Foam Can Koozie
Since I'm using EasyWeed, the press is set to 305°F. Want to use a different type of Siser HTV? Follow the time and temperature instructions on our website or the Siser App for the HTV of your choice.
Don't forget to adjust the pressure to account for the thick koozie material. You'll know the pressure is too high if you have to force the top platen to lock down. Too much pressure can actually squish the adhesive out from under the HTV and pool along the sides. If you can see clear adhesive around your vinyl after pressing, it can lead to peeling, so you'll want to dial your pressure back.
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| Use the buttons to adjust your time and temperature. Manually adjust the pressure with the knob on top of the press. | Place the sticky side of the clear carrier face down for heat application. |
After centering the HTV, cover it with parchment paper, and press the koozie for 10-15 seconds. If you're using a home iron, put it on the Cotton setting and press for 15-20 seconds.
EasyWeed is a hot or cold peel, so if you press a koozie for yourself go ahead and peel the carrier immediately. However, if you're making a whole bunch for your Derby crew you can peel the carriers cold, so you don't have to slow down your heat press flow.
And that's all there is to it! A quick and easy craft to add a personal touch to your Derby experience. Make sure to bookmark this post so you can have it handy the next time you need to make some custom koozies!